17.4.2018 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 135/11 OTHER ACTS EUROPEAN COMMISSION Publication of an amendment application pursuant to Article 50(2)(a) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs (2018/C 135/07) This publication confers the right to oppose the application pursuant to Article 51 of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council (1). APPLICATION FOR APPROVAL OF NON-MINOR AMENDMENTS TO THE PRODUCT SPECIFICATION FOR A PROTECTED DESIGNATION OF ORIGIN OR PROTECTED GEOGRAPHICAL INDICATION Application for approval of amendments in accordance with the first subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 ‘BLEU DES CAUSSES’ EU No: PDO-FR-0108-AM02 — 31.3.2017 PDO ( X ) PGI ( ) 1. Applicant group and legitimate interest Syndicat du Bleu des Causses BP 9 12004 Rodez Cedex FRANCE Tel. +33 565765353 Fax +33 565765300 Email: [email protected] The applicant group for ‘Bleu des Causses’ is composed of ‘Bleu des Causses’ PDO operators (producers, collectors, processors and ripeners) and has a legitimate interest in submitting the application. 2. Member State or Third Country France 3. Heading in the product specification affected by the amendment(s) — Name of product — Description of product — Geographical area — Proof of origin — Method of production — Link — Labelling — Other: inspection, link, inspection bodies 4. Type of amendment(s) — Amendments to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI not to be qualified as minor within the meaning of the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 — Amendments to the product specification of a registered PDO or PGI for which a Single Document (or equivalent) has not been published and which cannot be qualified as minor within the meaning of the third subparagraph of Article 53(2) of Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012 (1) OJ L 343, 14.12.2012, p. 1. C 135/12 EN Official Journal of the European Union 17.4.2018 5. Amendment(s) Heading ‘Description of product’ The description of the product has been supplemented to make it more precise: — the words ‘cow's milk cheese’ have been replaced by the words ‘cheese made exclusively from cow's milk’ so as to avoid any ambiguity, — the word ‘renneted’ has been added with reference to the manufacturing method, — the words ‘fermented and salted’ have been added to describe the paste. The minimum fat content of the cheese after total desiccation has been increased to 50 grams of fat per 100 grams of cheese after total desiccation (or 50 %) instead of 45 % as a result of the larger share of fat in the milk and the use of whole milk to make ‘Bleu des Causses’. It has been regularly found that the fat content of ‘Bleu des Causses’ after total desiccation exceeds 50 %. Therefore the sentences ‘“Bleu des Causses” is an unpressed, uncooked, fermented and salted blue-veined cheese made exclusively from renneted, non-skimmed cow's milk. It has a minimum fat content of 50 grams per 100 grams of cheese after total desiccation and its dry matter content must not be less than 53 grams for 100 grams of cheese.’ replace the following sentence in the current specification ‘Bleu des Causses is an unpressed, uncooked blue-veined cheese made from non-skimmed cow's milk, with a fat content of 45 % in the dry matter, the latter being at least 53 grams per 100 grams of cheese.’. The diameter of the cheese ranges between 19 and 21 centimetres. These more precise figures replace the words ‘approximately 20 centimetres’. The maximum height has been increased by two centimetres to reach a height of 12 centimetres (instead of 10), and the weight range has been expanded slightly: it has been set between 2,2 and 3,3 kilograms instead of 2,3 and 3 kilograms. These figures reflect more accurately the actual sizes of the cheeses. Finally, it has been added that the cheese is ‘regular in shape’ in order to prevent defects in the shape of the cheeses. A description of the taste, paste and texture has been added: ‘The paste is ivory-white, uniform in colour, smooth, fine, with evenly distributed blue-green marbling and possible needlehole traces. It has a smooth and tender tex­ ture. The taste is clean, flavoursome, with aromas characteristic of blue cheese; it may have a slight bitterness without excessive pungency or too much salt’. This description is useful for the organoleptic examination of the product during inspection. The sentence ‘The designation of origin “Bleu des Causses” may not be used until the 70th day after renneting’ has been added to replace the sentence ‘ The total ripening period varies from 70 to 130 days, depending on the cheesemakers and ripeners’ under the ‘Method of production’ section of the current specification. No change has been made to the minimum age required to qualify for the PDO. It has now been specified that the age is calcu­ lated from the renneting date. The maximum ripening period of 130 days, which was indicative, has been deleted. It has been specified that ‘The cutting of “Bleu des Causses” is authorised if it does not alter the cheese's texture. “Bleu des Causses” may be presented in pieces that have been cut mechanically’. Given the continuous changes in the ways cheese is consumed, this provision establishes a framework preventing deviations as regards the type of cut. Heading ‘Definition of the geographical area’ The paragraphs ‘The production area covers the Causses region, in other words, a part of the department of Avey­ ron and of the neighbouring departments of Lot, Lozère, Gard and Hérault having the character of limestone plateaux (“causses”)’ and ‘The cheese is ripened in cellars in the Causses in the geographical area delimited by the cantons of Campagnac, Cornus, Millau, Peyreleau and Saint-Affrique (Aveyron) and the municipalities of Trèves (Gard) and Pégairolles-de-l'Escalette (Hérault)’ in the specification and the related paragraphs of the published sum­ mary have been deleted and replaced by the paragraphs ‘The milk is produced and “Bleu des Causses” cheeses made, ripened and matured in the geographical area, which forms a mosaic of terrains issued from magmatic, metamorphic or calcareous rocks. Limestone plateaux are characteristic features of this landscape. They are particu­ lar in that they occasionally provide natural cellars having fractures that naturally regulate the humidity and venti­ lation of the cellar. These cavities are particularly suited to the ripening of “Bleu des Causses” , which has been carried out in the area for a long time’ and ‘The geographical area of the designation of origin “Bleu des Causses” covers practically all of the department of Aveyron and part of the departments of Lot, Lozère, Gard and Hérault’, which are more precise and make it possible to present concisely the geographical area, of which the limestone plateaux are characteristic features. No changes have been made to the boundaries of the geographical area. 17.4.2018 EN Official Journal of the European Union C 135/13 In order to describe the geographical area precisely and without ambiguity, the municipalities that compose it have been listed in the specification. That description reproduces the one referred to more concisely in the published summary. The drafting work identified an omission in the description of the geographical area in the current speci­ fication. Five municipalities of the department of Aveyron were missing, although they are located in the heart of the geographical area: Druelle-Balsac, Luc-la-Primaube, Le Monastère, Olemps and Sainte-Radegonde. These munici­ palities have been added to the specification. This is a correction of a material error that does not call into question the link between the product and its geographical origin. Heading ‘Evidence that the product originates from the geographical area’ Reporting obligations An identification declaration for operators has been provided for to replace the declaration of suitability. Identifying the operators is a p rerequisite for their accreditation, which recognises that they are able to meet the requirements of the specification for the designation from which they wish to benefit. Prior declarations of having no intention to produce and of resuming production have also been added, enabling close monitoring of operators who wish to withdraw for a short period from the designation of origin. This makes it easier to manage the designation of origin, in particular as regards production checks and organoleptic tests. The content and the means of submission of the declarations necessary for recognition and monitoring of the products to be marketed with the designation of origin have been added. They enable the group to monitor the designation. Registries The list of the registrations which operators must carry out has been added so as to facilitate checks on traceability and the production conditions laid down by the specification. Heading ‘Method of obtaining the product’ Milk production A definition of the dairy herd has been added, as follows: ‘all the dairy cows and replacement heifers present on the holding’, it being noted that ‘the dairy cows are the lactating animals and the animals which have run dry’ and ‘the heifers are the animals which have been weaned but have not yet given birth’. The purpose of this definition is to avoid any confusion and facilitate checks by making clear which animals are being referred to when the terms ‘dairy herd’, ‘dairy cows’ and ‘heifers’ are used subsequently in the specification. As the current specification contains no provisions on the origin of the dairy cows' feed, a provision whereby ‘at least 80 % in dry matter of the dairy cows’ basic ration comes from the geographical area on average for all the dairy cows over the year' has been added in order to strengthen the link with the geographical area.